pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4724
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 6, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
A detective meets a mysterious stranger in her first case!
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 27 found this review helpful
NOTHING IS AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS!
PostedFebruary 1, 2021
pennmom36
fromI liked it but not really thrilled with the CE content or lack thereof
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
25 Main Game Scene Locations +11 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
25 Main Game Scene Locations +11 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Dana Strange became a detective for the sole purpose of solving her sister Ursala's unsolved kidnapping case when they were small children. Now, with the kidnapper finally behind bars, Dana can finally move on, or so she thought. Dana may be trying to move on, but sometimes the past has unfinished business!
Helper/Gadget
There are no Gadgets and no Helpers. There is a Bee that sits on the Hint Icon that apparently bothers a lot of people but it didn't bother me, I look at the game, not the Hint button and I barely noticed it.
There are no Gadgets and no Helpers. There is a Bee that sits on the Hint Icon that apparently bothers a lot of people but it didn't bother me, I look at the game, not the Hint button and I barely noticed it.
Morphing Objects/Collectibles: (CE version only)
One feature I've come to expect in a CE game from this developer is Morphing Objects. This is a really good game but the CE bling is practically non-existent and there are no morphs, which is why I deducted a star! There are 12 Collectible Book Pages about Dana Strange and the usual 48 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble four, 12 piece jigsaw puzzles. The puzzle pieces are nicely blended into the scenery and they have finally allowed you to return to the scenes to search for missing puzzle pieces and book pages within the Expedition Room!
One feature I've come to expect in a CE game from this developer is Morphing Objects. This is a really good game but the CE bling is practically non-existent and there are no morphs, which is why I deducted a star! There are 12 Collectible Book Pages about Dana Strange and the usual 48 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble four, 12 piece jigsaw puzzles. The puzzle pieces are nicely blended into the scenery and they have finally allowed you to return to the scenes to search for missing puzzle pieces and book pages within the Expedition Room!
Video/Audio Quality:
Elephant Games has always been one of my favorites when it comes to graphics, hands-down, and their story-telling abilities are phenomenal. I cut my teeth on Mystery Trackers: The Void and fell in love with HOPA games because of this developer! This is the first game in a long time that didn't freeze or unexpectedly, shut down or have a sticky music loop.
Elephant Games has always been one of my favorites when it comes to graphics, hands-down, and their story-telling abilities are phenomenal. I cut my teeth on Mystery Trackers: The Void and fell in love with HOPA games because of this developer! This is the first game in a long time that didn't freeze or unexpectedly, shut down or have a sticky music loop.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are only 12 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including several smaller zoom zone hidden object scenes where you are tasked with finding 1 object at a time that matches the silhouetted shape (usually 5 objects) or smaller Listed Item finds. The objects are pretty easy to spot, but there were lots of HO variations which include Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, and Swatches where you find areas on a bulletin board that matches tiny swatches. There are no alternative games available for non-HO lovers, unfortunately.
There are only 12 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including several smaller zoom zone hidden object scenes where you are tasked with finding 1 object at a time that matches the silhouetted shape (usually 5 objects) or smaller Listed Item finds. The objects are pretty easy to spot, but there were lots of HO variations which include Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, and Swatches where you find areas on a bulletin board that matches tiny swatches. There are no alternative games available for non-HO lovers, unfortunately.
Mini-Games:
There are 15 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. I'm a fan of Elephant's mini-game puzzles, they are doable and rarely frustrating. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
There are 15 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. I'm a fan of Elephant's mini-game puzzles, they are doable and rarely frustrating. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
1-Enter arrow directions to navigate a map, each intersection will use the next programmed movement. x3
2-Rotate the disc and snap interlocking pieces into place so all connectors align.
3-Swap tiles with wire sections until they all connect.
4-Repeat the sequence of musical notes. x 3
Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)
Don't lose your head over this sequel of haunting proportions when a headless ghost is spotted in Denzel Freeman's shop. Is he being haunted or just bamboozled? This is an average-length Bonus Chapter spanning over 11 Scene Locations with 6 Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes. You will search for the remaining 3 Collectible Book Pages and 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces which allows you to complete the fourth and final 12 piece Jigsaw Puzzle.
Don't lose your head over this sequel of haunting proportions when a headless ghost is spotted in Denzel Freeman's shop. Is he being haunted or just bamboozled? This is an average-length Bonus Chapter spanning over 11 Scene Locations with 6 Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes. You will search for the remaining 3 Collectible Book Pages and 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces which allows you to complete the fourth and final 12 piece Jigsaw Puzzle.
Collector's Edition Version Extra's
5 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 11 Replayable Mini-Games, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, a Secret Room to search for more Hidden Objects, an Expedition Room that allows you to return to the scenes to pick up any missed Jigsaw Puzzles or Book Pages, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble Four, 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. I've opened my own forum! You can see all of my Series' Lists at thewoodsforum.boards.net
5 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 11 Replayable Mini-Games, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, a Secret Room to search for more Hidden Objects, an Expedition Room that allows you to return to the scenes to pick up any missed Jigsaw Puzzles or Book Pages, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble Four, 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. I've opened my own forum! You can see all of my Series' Lists at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Complete challenging match 3 puzzles and help two London police detectives uncover a dark conspiracy!
Overall rating
1
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
I WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS GAME A HIGHER STAR RATING, BUT WE'VE BEEN GASLAMPED!
PostedFebruary 1, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This isn't a bad game if you don't mind the fact that everyone wins a trophy because they never offer their games in a Timed Mode option! I would have actually given this game more Stars but I simply don't believe all the reviews for this developer's games are real. We complain because they don't offer any games with a timed mode option, and they all have the same level layouts (they just change the order they are in to fool you) All they really change is the story & the graphics. The appropriate response would be to offer games that had the options the majority was asking for, not pad the average ratings to make it appear that we weren't the majority.
They have made the tiles bigger and less similar to each other so they can easily be differentiated, and they have changed the level layouts slightly. By slightly, I mean they changed the order the levels are presented. They have added some new obstacles, wooden chests that may or may not have gold or red tiles hidden under them, gears, chains, and double chains that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them, but most of them are just filler features, and unblocking the tiles is not necessary to progress. They also got rid of the spiders that everyone seemed to hate.
Once again, you can only play in a Relaxed Untimed Mode in this Swap type Match 3 game, where you swap tiles to make matches of at least 3 identical elements. You must make matches over all of the Gold Cells (and eventually Red cells that turn Gold) and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile, such as magnet tiles or stopwatches. I suppose this was an attempt to make the game more difficult, instead, it only drags out the time it takes to complete the levels...for no real reward when you do so because it doesn't matter if you complete the level in 30 seconds or 30 minutes!
When you make large matches you are rewarded with Elements inside of Bubbles. These bubbled tiles Morph, allowing you to choose which elemental tile you want by clicking on the bubble to pop it when it morphs to the desired tile. Making large matches also fills the Energy Mana Meter, when full, you'll be able to use any powerup you want. The powerups, however, must be purchased in the shop prior to starting the level.
You must purchase all 4 World Upgrades to progress to the next Chapter. Each upgrade basically constructs a random building in the town (with no option of which building nor does it allow you to place the building where you want) and tells you a portion of the storyline via 2 comic book-style characters moving awkwardly to the front of the screen as they take turns reading their scripts. The World Upgrades require a specified number of stars to unlock, for example, the first upgrade requires 3 stars, the second requires 11, the third requires 12, and the fourth requires 16 stars, which are earned for completing the levels.
It's impossible to lose a level so this scenario is basically an auto-pilot feature. It also takes forever to get through this upgrade process, once you click to purchase an upgrade, you have to wait for what seems like an eternity for the building to appear and it has to sparkle for several seconds until the comic book characters finally arrive, then you have to wait several seconds more until the "skip" button finally appears to put you out of your misery...shouldn't you get the "skip" option right off the bat, what's the point of having a skip button that doesn't appear until you're halfway through?
Power-ups are purchased in the shop with the Gold/Red cells you've uncovered, and/or the Artifact Tiles that are collected by dropping them off of the board. Once purchased, any of your purchased powerups can be used, but you'll have to fill the Energy Meter first. All matches help to fill the Energy Meter but the larger the match, the more quickly the Meter fills.
Here's a list of the available Power-ups (they are the same power-ups that do the same things in ALL of the Match 3 games by this developer, they just rename them to fit the storyline:
*Silver Hammer: destroys a single tile and/or chain.
*Small Bomb: destroys a 2 x 2 range of tiles cells/chains.
*Coiled Wire: destroys 5 horizontal tiles.
*Metal Fastener: destroys 5 vertical tiles
*Experimental Machine: destroys an entire horizontal row, cells/chains.
*Experimental Staff: destroys an entire vertical line, cells/chains.
*Strange Gear: destroys entire vertical & horizontal lines.
*Absorption Device: destroys all of the same tiles.
*Wheel: Shuffles the entire board.
*Prototype Rockets: destroys 20 random tiles.
*Big Explosive (TNT): destroys a 9 x 9 cluster of tiles, cells/chains.
*Zeppelin: destroys a massive 12 x 12 range of tiles.
*Small Bomb: destroys a 2 x 2 range of tiles cells/chains.
*Coiled Wire: destroys 5 horizontal tiles.
*Metal Fastener: destroys 5 vertical tiles
*Experimental Machine: destroys an entire horizontal row, cells/chains.
*Experimental Staff: destroys an entire vertical line, cells/chains.
*Strange Gear: destroys entire vertical & horizontal lines.
*Absorption Device: destroys all of the same tiles.
*Wheel: Shuffles the entire board.
*Prototype Rockets: destroys 20 random tiles.
*Big Explosive (TNT): destroys a 9 x 9 cluster of tiles, cells/chains.
*Zeppelin: destroys a massive 12 x 12 range of tiles.
If you like more of the same but with a different tile, this game will suit you fine, but if you have purchased any of the Match 3 games by this developer in the past, you already own this one! Join me at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net to talk about all the games and much more :)
I don't recommend this game.
Explore an endless dreamland full of inspiration as you complete challenging jigsaw puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
96 of 111 found this review helpful
THE HD FANTASY IMAGES WILL BLOW YOUR MIND, THIS IS A PUZZLE GEEKS DREAM COME TRUE!
PostedFebruary 1, 2021
pennmom36
fromAnother fantastic Indie developer who listens to us and implements changes!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If there's one thing that makes or breaks a Jigsaw Puzzle game, it's the image selection. If the pictures aren't interesting, nothing else matters at that point. This developer has exceeded my expectations, I've never been this impressed, this blown away by the pictures. I can honestly say that I couldn't find a single puzzle image that I didn't love, and choosing which image to start with was the hardest part. The completed images can be downloaded as wallpapers so I am doing my Jigsaw Happy Dance today!
There are 5 Chapters plus a Secret Chapter and a Chapter that lets you download your own images. You'll earn Gems & Coins for completing the puzzles which allow you to unlock more chapter puzzles and buy more time. Each chapter has 36 Customizable images (we'll get to those in a bit) and you can earn Achievements and a Daily Reward as well.
CUSTOMIZATIONS:
Enable/Disable: Piece Rotation
Enable/Disable: Puzzle Preview
Enable/Disable: Random Pieces
Puzzle Piece Amount: Drag Slider Bar 30-1024
Choose Puzzle Shape: Standard Tab-Squares-Loop Tabs, etc.
Zoom Feature: Scroll to Zoom or + & - (and drag the entire board using the right or left click)
Shuffle: Shuffle Puzzle Pieces
Brightness: Adjust Color-Warmth-Brightness
Background: 10 Background Options
Show/Hide: Edge Pieces
Show/Hide: Ghosted Image
Buy Additional Time
Hint: Hint For Any Puzzle Piece Placement
Puzzle Preview: Can Be Placed Anywhere
Enable/Disable: Piece Rotation
Enable/Disable: Puzzle Preview
Enable/Disable: Random Pieces
Puzzle Piece Amount: Drag Slider Bar 30-1024
Choose Puzzle Shape: Standard Tab-Squares-Loop Tabs, etc.
Zoom Feature: Scroll to Zoom or + & - (and drag the entire board using the right or left click)
Shuffle: Shuffle Puzzle Pieces
Brightness: Adjust Color-Warmth-Brightness
Background: 10 Background Options
Show/Hide: Edge Pieces
Show/Hide: Ghosted Image
Buy Additional Time
Hint: Hint For Any Puzzle Piece Placement
Puzzle Preview: Can Be Placed Anywhere
Thank you Graphium for another fantastic puzzle! Please join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Dive into a world of mystical beings and complete challenging solitaire puzzles to help a young witch prove her good intentions.
Overall rating
1
/
5
28 of 32 found this review helpful
IF THEY WOULD SIMPLY ADD A FEATURE, TO CONTINUE THE GAME AFTER REMOVING GOLD CARDS, IT WOULD BE A FUN GAME!
PostedJanuary 31, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
It never ceases to amaze me of the vast amount of cookie-cutter games this dev spews out. They never bother to change or add any of the features, they simply change the title and the graphics and pretend that it has a story (it doesn't) Every game has the same format, the same level layouts, the same repetitive music loop, and the same mechanics and features.
Once again, this is a Solitaire version where the game ends once all of the Gold Cards have been removed, even if a hundred regular cards remain. Almost everyone wants the option to remove all of the cards from the board to receive a "perfect score" to be able to remove ALL of the cards on the board to receive a perfect score, not just some of them! Most solitaire fans will play a level over and over until they remove all of the cards because that's the point of a Higher/Lower Solitaire game! For the life of me, I can't understand why they can't make an adjustment to allow the option of continuing to play for points once all of the gold cards have been removed, how difficult can that be? Heck, I'd be okay with not earning any extra points, I just want to remove all of the cards, but the second you click the last Gold Card, it's game over as far as this developer is concerned!
There are 20 Different Locations or Packs and each location has 10 Levels, scoring is similar to Bowling scores, in the event of a perfect score, the points from that level are added to the next, and so forth. You can choose from 9 colorful Card Backs and 3 different face card fonts, a traditional, a large font, and a themed font. You are always forced to begin the game in Newbie mode, which allows you to replay any hand, then, if you prefer, you can switch to the Professional mode which only allows you to replay the entire pack of 10 levels.
Another feature I don't like in all solitaire games by this developer is that the tutorial forces you to click another card off of the deck even though there are several more cards available on the board. (but then again, you don't really need a tutorial if you have played any other solitaire game by this dev) I'm reluctant to skip the tutorial just in case they have added or changed a new feature, but who we kidding here, this developer doesn't care and will never bother to create a new program! I also hate that when you remove a Bonus card with a Flower, it takes forever to explain what the card gives you, as it freezes continued gameplay to tell you what you won. Most of the time it gives you +499 extra points, but occasionally, a Joker, Mulligan, or a Shuffle. The bonus feature takes so long, removing two of these cards back to back is super agonizing and I'm tempted to not click on them if they aren't blocking a gold card!
If this developer would simply take the time to code a tiny adjustment into their programs, I would love these games! It's obvious that these solitaire games by this developer are only used for emergencies when BF doesn't have a game lined up for Tomorrow's Game Today, (or the scheduled release had issues) because these games are always super old releases that have been offered on other portals for years! Please join me and other fellow games on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
An army of living toys threatens all of Hellas!
Overall rating
1
/
5
67 of 80 found this review helpful
Love thy _brother
PostedJanuary 31, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
At first, I thought I was going to really like this game because they have a couple of new features, one of which is where you earn red gems to purchase 5 sections of each piece of equipment, each of which gives you a bonus ability, and when all 5 are purchased, you get an even stronger ability. They also got creative with the Achievements which unlock various tasks and award you with red gems when you reach various milestones.
The problem I ran into, however, was that the music was hideous, it sounds like organ music from an old movie and it gets really loud in an attempt to make the game seem more dramatic than it actually is. Okay, I can turn the music off and play in silence if I have to (who wants to do that?) but then I noticed that the game seems to lag, resources wouldn't appear on the platforms for a split second after it had turned green, not to mention that a farm showing wheat being harvested would produce grapes, and gold mines produce shiny gold coins in mint condition? I found myself having to click on some resources a few times before the click would finally be accepted, and sometimes it would let me click on a resource that was blocked, but then it wouldn't let me remove it from the queue? I talked to several people who have 32-bit computers and they can't even play this game, they get nothing but a black screen! I have a 64-bit computer, so I'm not sure what the issue is?
If you can get this game to work smoothly, and you don't mind the hideous music that gets unbearably loud at times, it does have some interesting features. The Puzzle Runes (50) are a bit hard to miss, and they refer to them as "hidden" but they are neon green and quite large? I did enjoy the creature that could Petrify you, but one of the "abilities" you can purchase with the red gems is to lower the probability of being petrified!
The CE version has 50 Main Levels but just 5 Bonus Levels according to the Strategy Guide, as well as 10 Concept Art pictures and 4 Music Soundtracks which I guarantee I will not be downloading! I have opened my own forum, so you can find all of my series' lists at thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
I don't recommend this game.
Tame the wild west in a rip-roaring adventure for all ages!
Overall rating
5
/
5
122 of 134 found this review helpful
YEE-HAW!
PostedJanuary 30, 2021
pennmom36
fromU.S. Camel Corps-1856 @ Camp Verde, Texas imported 66 camels from the Middle East to face the harsh conditions of the Wild West As the Civil War broke out, exploration was curtailed & Confederates captured the camp & they were sold to Ringling Bros Circus
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This developer has never disappointed me, they know how to create amazing Time Management games that have unique themes, and interesting features that are just downright fun to play! This developer brought us New Yankee, Rose Riddle, Viking Brothers, and Weather Lord, all of which are highly-rated game series, and my personal favorites.
You can play in an Easy, Untimed Mode, a Normal Mode, or Hard Mode with tighter Time-limits. My only complaint is that you have to start from the beginning if you switch modes. Sometimes I like to switch to the easy mode if I'm having difficulties earning all 3-stars until I figure out the best strategy, and then I'll switch back to Normal or Hard to earn my 3-stars. This is definitely a strategy-based game and you'll have to queue tasks correctly in order to complete the level goals.
There is so much to do, and you'll be doing it in different seasons, Autumn, Winter, Summer, and Spring! You'll have to repair railway sections, repair railway stations so you'll be able to unload train cargos full of supplies, such as Ore or food, Trade merchants for tools needed for the job at hand, chase away Bandits, rescue Settlers, and build them houses to collect rent, catch cows and corral them into pens to get food (apparently, cows provided people with ears of corn back in the Wild West days?) and of course, you'll have to clear obstacles, mine gold, gather food, remove traps, and chop down lots of trees as well as hire extra workers. Some tasks require two or more available workers, and workers assigned to cut wood at the sawmill, for example, can be "unhired" if you need them for another task.
Each scene has a hidden Yustas owl that peeks out from behind a bush. There are 60 "Wanted Owls" total, 51 Town improvements, 50 Settlers & Indians to rescue, 30 Bandits to arrest, 300 Houses to build, 50 Wigwams to build, 100 sections of Railway to repair, 1,000 Letters to collect and 5 Shooting Ranges to shoot pop-up bandits and ducks (reminds me of the Golden Trails HOG), no one's getting bored with this game!
Bonuses are added at certain levels, 4-8-1-5-18-22-24-29-33-36-39-and 45. The bonuses help speed up workers, produce more resources, etc.
This Collector's Edition version has 50 main levels and 10 CE levels. There's also 60 Collectible Owls, 4 Wallpapers, and 5 Music Soundtracks as well as a Built-in Strategy Guide that show where the Collectible Owls are located. The Shooting Range levels (5) may or may not be included in the SE version, but I couldn't wait until its release to find out, I had to buy this one today! Please join me at my new forum to see my series lists and plenty of gaming threads and chats at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
The most perfect town in the world hides a terrible secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
67 of 85 found this review helpful
MAKE US PUT ON OUR THINKING CAPS & YOU WILL BE AN UNSTOPPABLE DEVELOPER!
PostedJanuary 29, 2021
pennmom36
fromHOPAs have been out for nearly two decades...Most HOPA players are NOT beginners at this point yet devs refuse to tailor games toward the other 95%, seasoned players. Try just 1 game, if it flops, I'll stop complaining
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Restville is a picturesque, quaint sleepy town where time practically stands still, the ideal place to settle down and raise a family. Everyone knows everyone here, and everyone is proud of their unique flora. This is the town Agent Brown grew up in and his family is particularly proud of the rare blue rose hybrids they created, which has made Restville a town like no other. The problem is, you do not...under any circumstance, want to take the time to stop and smell these deadly little blue buds!
Helper/Gadget
There are no Gadgets, however, you will be playing as all three characters from Elephant Games popular series, eventually. James Blackthorn from the Haunted Hotel series, Anna Gray from Grim Tales, and Agent Brown from Mystery Trackers...without Elf it just doesn't work for me :(
There are no Gadgets, however, you will be playing as all three characters from Elephant Games popular series, eventually. James Blackthorn from the Haunted Hotel series, Anna Gray from Grim Tales, and Agent Brown from Mystery Trackers...without Elf it just doesn't work for me :(
Morphing Objects/Collectibles: (CE version only)
The Big Elephant has really been skimping on the CE bling lately. With the exception of their annual Christmas game, they have barely added ANY additional content, the chapter lengths have been remaining the same, but they never have had lengthy games. As for the Morphs, and Collectibles, those have dwindled to almost nothing, in the past 26 morphs were standard (1 in every scene) This game has a measly 13 Morphing Hats, so what they are doing now is combining the Morphs with the Collectibles, instead of offering a morph and a collectible in every scene, now they just make them morphing collectibles! There used to be a ton of Jigsaw puzzle pieces, now there are only 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Fragments, (which allows you to set 4 Screensavers w/o actually assembling the jigsaw) let's keep in mind that they haven't changed the number of scenes they offer in their games, they always have 18 scenes in the Main Game, and 7 scenes in the Bonus Chapter so we ARE getting less, way less, so unless I just sniffed one of those blue roses which clouded my thought process, we are paying the same amount of money, getting way less bang for our buck, lower quality (I'll get to that part)
The Big Elephant has really been skimping on the CE bling lately. With the exception of their annual Christmas game, they have barely added ANY additional content, the chapter lengths have been remaining the same, but they never have had lengthy games. As for the Morphs, and Collectibles, those have dwindled to almost nothing, in the past 26 morphs were standard (1 in every scene) This game has a measly 13 Morphing Hats, so what they are doing now is combining the Morphs with the Collectibles, instead of offering a morph and a collectible in every scene, now they just make them morphing collectibles! There used to be a ton of Jigsaw puzzle pieces, now there are only 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Fragments, (which allows you to set 4 Screensavers w/o actually assembling the jigsaw) let's keep in mind that they haven't changed the number of scenes they offer in their games, they always have 18 scenes in the Main Game, and 7 scenes in the Bonus Chapter so we ARE getting less, way less, so unless I just sniffed one of those blue roses which clouded my thought process, we are paying the same amount of money, getting way less bang for our buck, lower quality (I'll get to that part)
Video/Audio Quality:
Elephant Games has always been one of my favorites when it comes to graphics, hands-down, and their story-telling abilities are phenomenal. I cut my teeth on Mystery Trackers: The Void and fell in love with HOPA games because of this developer! With that being said, recently, I have been able to count on multiple instances of game freezes or music that seems to get stuck on the same track loop. This game, in particular, actually quit and exited out to the GM when I woke up in the jail cell, again when James donned a disguise, and a third time when I finished the "bend the key" mini-game and entered the shed to meet Agent Brown. (how much you want to bet this visual/audio quality blurb section gets added to someone else's review next time bwahahaa)
Elephant Games has always been one of my favorites when it comes to graphics, hands-down, and their story-telling abilities are phenomenal. I cut my teeth on Mystery Trackers: The Void and fell in love with HOPA games because of this developer! With that being said, recently, I have been able to count on multiple instances of game freezes or music that seems to get stuck on the same track loop. This game, in particular, actually quit and exited out to the GM when I woke up in the jail cell, again when James donned a disguise, and a third time when I finished the "bend the key" mini-game and entered the shed to meet Agent Brown. (how much you want to bet this visual/audio quality blurb section gets added to someone else's review next time bwahahaa)
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including several smaller zoom zone hidden object scenes where you are tasked with finding 1 object at a time that matches the silhouetted shape (usually 5 objects) For some reason, they have gone back to their old ways of making the objects really noticeable, or perhaps this game was just made a long time ago, but I could easily pick 95% of the items without looking at the list! There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs where you move items two at a time to find a matching pair hidden behind the object, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, and Swatches where you find areas on a bulletin board that matches tiny swatches.
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including several smaller zoom zone hidden object scenes where you are tasked with finding 1 object at a time that matches the silhouetted shape (usually 5 objects) For some reason, they have gone back to their old ways of making the objects really noticeable, or perhaps this game was just made a long time ago, but I could easily pick 95% of the items without looking at the list! There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs where you move items two at a time to find a matching pair hidden behind the object, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, and Swatches where you find areas on a bulletin board that matches tiny swatches.
Mini-Games:
There are 17 Mini-Games +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. (less is more?) I was really happy that they include a lot of mechanical types of puzzles which is my favorite type, a feature Elephant Games has perfected! Here are a few of my personal favorites:
There are 17 Mini-Games +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. (less is more?) I was really happy that they include a lot of mechanical types of puzzles which is my favorite type, a feature Elephant Games has perfected! Here are a few of my personal favorites:
1-Enter the correct letters on the safe by searching for subtle clues located on the safe...in the form of various codes!
2-Guide colored water drops from the top to the flower of the same color at the bottom using colored buttons to turn pipes.
3-Swap lock pieces on the top and bottom so they will interlock correctly with the teeth on the center, sections can only swap with highlighted sections so you may have to move them around into the desired position.
4-Bend each section of the lockpick to match the teeth of the lock.
2-Guide colored water drops from the top to the flower of the same color at the bottom using colored buttons to turn pipes.
3-Swap lock pieces on the top and bottom so they will interlock correctly with the teeth on the center, sections can only swap with highlighted sections so you may have to move them around into the desired position.
4-Bend each section of the lockpick to match the teeth of the lock.
Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)
A new Mayor, Andrew Stevens has been elected to Restville and he has even bigger problems than the previous administration! No, they aren't having issues with blue roses, these roses are totally a different color...I so need a rolling emoji, lol! You'll play as Andrew Stevens the Mayor as well as one of the previous mayor's minions in this short Bonus Chapter spanning over 7 Scene Locations. There are just 4 simple Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will search for the remaining 3 Morphing Hats and 5 Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments which allows you to "set" (no assembly required) the final Jigsaw Puzzle Screensaver.
A new Mayor, Andrew Stevens has been elected to Restville and he has even bigger problems than the previous administration! No, they aren't having issues with blue roses, these roses are totally a different color...I so need a rolling emoji, lol! You'll play as Andrew Stevens the Mayor as well as one of the previous mayor's minions in this short Bonus Chapter spanning over 7 Scene Locations. There are just 4 simple Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will search for the remaining 3 Morphing Hats and 5 Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments which allows you to "set" (no assembly required) the final Jigsaw Puzzle Screensaver.
Collector's Edition Version Extra's
5 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, a Secret Room to search for 40 Hidden Objects (objects shown on SG), 13 Morphing Hats, 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments to "set" 4 Screensavers (no assembly required) Expedition Room (allows you to return to scenes to pick up collectibles) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Come visit my new forum! You can see all of my Series' Lists and chat with others at thewoodsforum.boards.net
5 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, a Secret Room to search for 40 Hidden Objects (objects shown on SG), 13 Morphing Hats, 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments to "set" 4 Screensavers (no assembly required) Expedition Room (allows you to return to scenes to pick up collectibles) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Come visit my new forum! You can see all of my Series' Lists and chat with others at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Enjoy classic match-3 gameplay set on the banks of the mighty Euphrates River. Can you restore an ancient temple!
Overall rating
4
/
5
84 of 91 found this review helpful
SURE BEATS YESTERDAY'S GAME!
PostedJanuary 27, 2021
pennmom36
fromI'm "Glade" to see a new developer here at BF!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Rome
(35)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
At first, I wasn't crazy about this Match 3 game because of the automatic powerups on the board. I played in Timed Mode and by the time I reached level 13, I had to replay the level 3 times to progress because I ran out of time, so this is no walk in the park, easy-breezy kind of game here folks, This is a challenging game with tons of obstacles, I even liked the clinking noises it made when I matched the jewels.
You can play in a Relaxed, Timed, or Limited Moves Mode (unlike yesterday's Match 3 Game developer) and there are 120 levels. You can enable the High Detail graphics, and enable/disable the Show Hints feature as well. BTW: this is the 4th game in this series so hopefully, BF will offer those previous games too!
This reminded me of the Cradle of Rome game, and there were a few boards that were nearly identical to the ones from CoR. When you make large matches, you'll receive a powerup on the board that must be matched with 2 other identical colored jewels to detonate. There is also a Hammer to remove a single jewel and a Shuffle icon located at the bottom of the board that recharge when you make matches of 4 or more jewels.
Powerups appear in the same color as the Jewel that was originally matched:
*Bomb: Receive a color-specific Bomb when you make a Match 5 to destroy adjacent jewels & obstacles.
*Hourglass: Receive extra time of Moves when you make a T-shaped match.
*Lightning: Receive lightning when you make an L-shaped match that will destroy several random jewels.
*Horizontal or Vertical Line Busters: receive either a horizontal or vertical line buster (depending on the original match direction) when you match 5 jewels in a vertical or horizontal direction.
*Cross Burst: Receive a Cross Burst when you make a match of 6 or 7 jewels to destroy everything in a vertical & horizontal line.
*Hourglass: Receive extra time of Moves when you make a T-shaped match.
*Lightning: Receive lightning when you make an L-shaped match that will destroy several random jewels.
*Horizontal or Vertical Line Busters: receive either a horizontal or vertical line buster (depending on the original match direction) when you match 5 jewels in a vertical or horizontal direction.
*Cross Burst: Receive a Cross Burst when you make a match of 6 or 7 jewels to destroy everything in a vertical & horizontal line.
There are some typical Obstacles, such as Wooden Crates, Chains, and double-Chains, and Frozen Jewels or Coins, as well as the usual Stone Cells, Gold Cells, Red Cells, and Tan Cells that require multiple Matches to remove them. But there are also unique Obstacles, such as Locked Jewels, Jewels that are Frozen and Chained, or Jewels trapped in Crates that require multiple, adjacent matches or matches of the same colored jewel that is trapped within. Coins are collected when you make adjacent matches (those can be frozen, chained, or trapped within crates, some have multiple obstacles) and Ancient Artifacts must be dropped off the board by making matches underneath them.
Each level has different goals that you must achieve to win the level, if you run out of time or moves before completing the level goals, you'll have to replay the level, unless you are playing in the Relaxed Mode! You may have to remove all Stone Slabs, earn a Specified Amount of Points, Destroy a Specified Number of a Specified Jewel, Collect a Specified Amount of Coins or collect a Specified Number of Ancient Artifacts. Most levels have at least 2 Level Goals.
Once you have collected enough Coins, you will be taken to the Ancient Temple where you can purchase Upgrades that will restore the Temple. The restoration upgrades are unique and they are designed to encourage you to keep playing to see the progress. The Ancient Temple is a continuous, live-action scene with tiny Egyptian workers buzzing around like busy bees as they stir up puffs of sand and debris to construct masterpiece restorations.
This is how an upgrade scenario should be, it sure beats seeing a building appear out of thin air with pink sparkles and comic-book cartoon characters that move toward the screen like a stick puppet to pretend-speak a conversation, doesn't it? Join me at my new forum to see my series lists, daily BF game discussions, and much more: thewoodsforum.boarts.net
I recommend this game!
Find hidden objects while exploring the most beautiful places this world has to offer!
Overall rating
4
/
5
93 of 102 found this review helpful
THEY LISTENED & MADE IMPROVEMENTS!
PostedJanuary 25, 2021
pennmom36
fromWho knew a Dolphin, Bees, and Chickens had Paw Prints?!?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This is an awesome HOG with really cool sound effects of birds singing, frogs croaking, and crickets chirping in the background. The scenes were interesting because most of them are nature or animal-themed, and each scene has 3 adorable cats that meow when you click on them, and a hidden Paw Print Rune of various critters, even though chickens don't have paws!
Most of the items are well blended into the scenery, the graphics are a bit crisper in the main scenes than they were in the last game, but the Zoom Zone's are still a bit blurry. What I appreciated the most, was that this time they chose objects that related to nature, they chose "Our Beautiful Earth" theme-related animals and things you would expect to find in the areas they were using as backgrounds (most of the time) In the first game they chose objects that had nothing to do with Our Beautiful Earth, such as standard stock photos of stenciled stars & hearts, arrow signs, a #8, telescopes, paper boats, cucumbers, eggplants & grapes oak trees, ties, paintbrushes, suns, and clocks, and hardly any animals.
You can play in a Casual or Challenge Mode of difficulty which basically just has a slower Hint recharge and a slower Skip feature for the Mini-Games. Each scene has 15 Listed Items to find and there is no timer or penalties for misclicks, nor is there a zoom or magnifying glass, which was probably a mistake because some of the objects are very small.
Each scene has 3 hidden Cats that vary each time, and a Paw Print Rune that award you with extra coins and allow you to earn all 3 Stars. The points, or coins, are used to purchase 15 different Gifts. This time the Gifts are actually puzzle pieces that unlock to reveal a portion of a large scenery, a much better option that the last game's Gift Shop Items.
After each Hidden Object Scene, you will play a Puzzle or Mini-Game such as Spot the Difference, Match 3, Memory Matching Animal Card Pairs, Drag Shaped Puzzle Pieces into Place, or Rotate & Drag Tetris-shaped Pieces into a Grid, Rotate Circular Tokens to complete a picture, and an interesting HO scene where you find 26 animals hidden within a Chinese Paper Cut Art scene.
I love it when developers read our reviews and implement changes. I will definitely be adding this game to my Game Manager! Please join me at my new forum, lots of exciting topics including Nature, Animals, and of course, game discussions at thewoods.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you save him and the Secret City from destruction in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
IT DOESN'T SEEM VERY MYSTERIOUS WHEN ALL THE PLOTS ARE THE SAME?
PostedJanuary 24, 2021
pennmom36
fromHas this developer given up? Sure seems that way judging by this game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Completed Game approximately 6.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
20 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
20 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
After receiving some mysterious Artifacts, the Museum workers begin to notice that their powers are disabled, some of the workers are actually losing their minds! The Museum manager, Henry Harris has contacted the detective after Sakir goes missing while investigating the case and soon realizes everyone is in grave danger!
Gadgets/Helper:
There are no helpers, and no gadgets other than the tattoo that allows the Detective to "see" the Secret City.
There are no helpers, and no gadgets other than the tattoo that allows the Detective to "see" the Secret City.
Audio/Video Quality
No doubt Domini has beautiful graphics and they are well adept at subtle music cues that do exactly what they are supposed to do...go unnoticed yet set the pace. They are also really clever at placing several interactive "toys" for the player to fiddle with, turning lights on/off, making ropes untie or move, or animals scamper...but have you ever noticed that after the demo there's hardly anything you can interact with? $"gotcha" $
No doubt Domini has beautiful graphics and they are well adept at subtle music cues that do exactly what they are supposed to do...go unnoticed yet set the pace. They are also really clever at placing several interactive "toys" for the player to fiddle with, turning lights on/off, making ropes untie or move, or animals scamper...but have you ever noticed that after the demo there's hardly anything you can interact with? $"gotcha" $
Collectibles & Morphing Objects (CE Version Only):
There are 15 Morphing Artifacts, 15 Collectible Photos, and 15 Private Jet Items to purchase using the 70 Collectible Coins. You can opt to show/hide a collectibles tab on the inventory bar that will open a specific icon when there is a collectible available.
There are 15 Morphing Artifacts, 15 Collectible Photos, and 15 Private Jet Items to purchase using the 70 Collectible Coins. You can opt to show/hide a collectibles tab on the inventory bar that will open a specific icon when there is a collectible available.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter and a couple of mini-HO's. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available. The Match 3 Game would be amazing if they allowed you to make fast consecutive matches, it would be cool if they put a little effort into this aspect to make the boards get progressively more difficult, added more tiles or something other than a square board with no obstacles??!! There are Interactive Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shapes, Swatches Finds, and Spot The Differences available, but not a whole lot of variations in my opinion.
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter and a couple of mini-HO's. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available. The Match 3 Game would be amazing if they allowed you to make fast consecutive matches, it would be cool if they put a little effort into this aspect to make the boards get progressively more difficult, added more tiles or something other than a square board with no obstacles??!! There are Interactive Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shapes, Swatches Finds, and Spot The Differences available, but not a whole lot of variations in my opinion.
Mini-Games:
There are 20 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) Here are a few of the games you'll come across:
There are 20 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) Here are a few of the games you'll come across:
1-Move a ball through a maze.
2-Swap gears to make them run smoothly.
3-Navigate a maze by choosing 1-3 paths at the correct time.
4-Create a pattern using tokens and lights.
5-Place arrows of different directions to navigate a maze.
2-Swap gears to make them run smoothly.
3-Navigate a maze by choosing 1-3 paths at the correct time.
4-Create a pattern using tokens and lights.
5-Place arrows of different directions to navigate a maze.
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Another criminal is at large in the Secret City and he has been sending artifacts to its residents that put them into a deep sleep! There are 5 Hidden Object Scenes (+2 mini-HO's) and 8 Mini-Games spanning over 8 new scene locations. You will search for the remaining 4 Photos, and 3 Morphing Artifacts, as well as 5 Coins of various amounts that allow you to purchase the final Private Jet Items.
Another criminal is at large in the Secret City and he has been sending artifacts to its residents that put them into a deep sleep! There are 5 Hidden Object Scenes (+2 mini-HO's) and 8 Mini-Games spanning over 8 new scene locations. You will search for the remaining 4 Photos, and 3 Morphing Artifacts, as well as 5 Coins of various amounts that allow you to purchase the final Private Jet Items.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Movie Video Cutscenes, 40 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Artifacts, 15 Photos, 15 Private Jet Items, 70 Collectible Crystals (currency) a gazillion Missing Notes, 5 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. All of my Series Lists (and much more) can be found on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Movie Video Cutscenes, 40 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Artifacts, 15 Photos, 15 Private Jet Items, 70 Collectible Crystals (currency) a gazillion Missing Notes, 5 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. All of my Series Lists (and much more) can be found on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.